Surely many of you have heard about such a Mediterranean snack as. They can safely be classified as delicacies.

Today I will show you how to cook homemade sun-dried tomatoes and I’ll tell you what they’re eaten with and where they’re added.

To get as close as possible to the classic Italian recipe sun-dried tomatoes, special attention should be paid to the choice of tomatoes themselves.

Ideally, these should be plum-shaped, ripe, not very large, fleshy tomatoes, although absolutely any kind can be dried.

LIST OF INGREDIENTS

• ripe tomatoes
• garlic
• Provencal herbs
• sugar
• vegetable oil

Italian-style sun-dried tomatoes at home - STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE

Tomatoes must be washed and dried. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the stems.

There are 2 options for preparing sun-dried tomatoes - you can remove the pulp with a teaspoon and leave the “boats”, but from my own experience I will say that sun-dried tomatoes with pulp have a richer taste, although they dry much longer, it’s up to you to choose.

I will not remove the pulp and will leave the tomatoes as is.

We cut small fruits in half, and large ones into 4 parts, so the slices will dry much faster.

In Italy, tomatoes are sun-dried, but this is a very long process and is not suitable for everyone. Previously, I dried tomatoes in the oven, which was also not very convenient due to the limited number of baking sheets and the need for constant monitoring.

But the best way to dry tomatoes is to use a dryer or, as it is also called, a dehydrator.

All tomatoes are prepared; place them on the dehydrator racks, cut side up.

We lay it quite tightly, because... When dried they will shrink significantly.

We sprinkle the tomato halves with salt, first of all, in order to draw out excess moisture from the tomatoes, give them taste, and besides, salt protects our product from spoilage.

And sprinkle just a little sugar for a brighter taste, even if the tomatoes are sweet.

Sometimes at this stage the tomatoes are sprinkled with spices and herbs, I don’t do this because... When dried, spices significantly lose their aroma.

Place all the tomatoes on the racks in the same way.

We will dry the tomatoes in a dehydrator Dream Vitamin from RAWMID .

The advantage of using a dehydrator for drying and curing various products is that the process takes place without your participation, you can set the desired temperature and time, there is no need to change the racks for more uniform drying, and most importantly, it is possible to simultaneously add a large number of products.

In my case, I placed 5 kg of tomatoes on 5 racks, which I installed through the tier, although, if necessary, you can install all 10.

Close the dehydrator with a lid, set the temperature and time. Preset drying time for 12 hours at 70°C (158°F).

As I already said, the drying process in a dehydrator does not require special attention, and since the tomatoes take quite a long time to dry, they can be safely stored overnight, which is what I did.

The next day, take the finished sun-dried tomatoes out of the dehydrator.

Depending on the size of the tomatoes and their juiciness, the drying process can take anywhere from 9 to 15 hours at 70°C (158°F).

Add additional time if necessary, but remember that we want sun-dried, not dried, tomatoes.

Therefore, there is no need to dry them too much; they should not be brittle, bend easily, be soft, but not wet, and not release juice when pressed.

Let's remove the tomatoes from the racks and weigh them.

As a result, from 5 kg of fresh tomatoes I got 850 grams of sun-dried tomatoes.

We will place the finished sun-dried tomatoes in clean and always dry jars.

I will take 2 jars and prepare one with fresh garlic, sliced, and the other with dried garlic. We will also need Provençal herbs.

In a jar we put sliced ​​​​garlic in layers, a pinch of Italian herbs and sun-dried tomatoes, again a little garlic, herbs and tomatoes.

Provencal herbs can be used ready-made, they are sold in the form of mixtures or separately at your discretion, such as: basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, mint and others...

I put a jar of fresh garlic in it, and now we’ll do the same thing, only with dried garlic.

The jars of sun-dried tomatoes are prepared and now all that remains is to fill them with oil.

In Italy, sun-dried tomatoes are traditionally poured with extra virgin olive oil, but from experience I can say that when stored in the refrigerator, such oil hardens, and the taste is not for everyone, so I will fill it with refined sunflower oil.

You can also pour cold oil, but when pouring hot, but not boiling oil, as in my case, such tomatoes are stored better, are not subject to fermentation, the taste and aroma of spices and spices is enhanced, and at the same time the pasteurization process occurs.

Fill the jars to the very top so that the tomatoes are completely covered, close the lids and let them cool.

After 2-3 days, the amount of oil in the jars will decrease, because... it will be well absorbed into the tomatoes and you will need to add it to the top.

I store the cooled jars in the refrigerator.

This delicacy can be stored at least until the next season, or even several years, but it is such a tasty snack that it is eaten much faster, in the best case, it “survives” until the New Year.

Ready-made sun-dried tomatoes are used in salads and served with meat, cutlets and fish.

Sun-dried tomatoes are added to pizza, pasta and even baked goods.

And the easiest way to use such an amazing snack is to place slices of sun-dried tomatoes on a piece of fresh bread with soft cheese.

Incredibly aromatic oil from sun-dried tomatoes is most often used as sauces and dressings for salads and appetizers.

I wish you delicious preparations and bon appetit!

And if you are interested in a dehydrator, then I have a video on my channel with full review this device, where I show how to use it and what else you can prepare in it.

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Italian sun-dried tomatoes at home - VIDEO RECIPE

Italian-style sun-dried tomatoes at home - PHOTO

The second half of summer is a great time for vegetable lovers. Raspberries, gooseberries and other aromatic berries are replaced by healthy and tasty tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and corn. There are a great many recipes for cooking vegetables. Take tomatoes, for example. In addition to salads, soups, sauces, you can also prepare original snacks from them. For example, any housewife, even an inexperienced one, can please her household with sun-dried tomatoes. You can find at least a dozen “traditional old recipes” on how to dry tomatoes at home on the Internet. And even more adapted to certain conditions.

How to dry tomatoes: key points

It is worth keeping in mind that during heat treatment, tomatoes lose up to 90% of their original mass. Therefore, before drying tomatoes at home, you should take care of the container in which the snack will be stored. You need to proceed from the condition that 1 kg of finished tomatoes fits into a 100-gram jar.

The tradition of drying tomatoes involves exposing the vegetables to the sun for a week. In our climate with changeable weather and the frequent lack of open space for this undertaking, preparing snacks is transferred to the kitchen. In an electric oven, it is desirable to have a convection mode; the gas oven door must be fixed in the slightly open position.

Typically, sun-dried tomatoes have skin. However, it is not always possible to cook vegetables to such an extent that the skin becomes soft. To avoid any unpleasant sensations when consuming the finished product, the “protection” of the tomatoes can be removed. This is not difficult to do.

For drying, you need to choose fleshy tomatoes that contain few seeds. Plum-shaped red tomatoes, which contain little juice, are very suitable for this process.
You need to dry tomatoes at home over low heat, 100-140 degrees, for 3-6 hours.

Modern recipes for preparing sun-dried tomatoes recommend adding spices at the last stage, that is, in a jar with the finished product, arguing that the aroma of herbs will disappear after a long time in the oven. Some recipes, on the contrary, recommend immediately seasoning the vegetables with everything you need. It is worth noting that with prolonged contact of spices with vegetables, the latter become saturated with aroma and transform their taste. The combination of tomatoes and spices already in the jar allows the vegetables to flavor to a different degree and in a different way overall. Therefore, the question of when to add spices when drying tomatoes remains open. This, one might say, is a field for experimentation.

Tomatoes need to be salted before drying. This will allow the moisture to evaporate faster and make the vegetables taste richer.

One thing you don't want to do when sun-driing tomatoes is season them with oil on the baking sheet ahead of time. This procedure does not have the best effect on the taste, turning drying into slow roasting. In addition, with prolonged heating, all the beneficial properties of the oil disappear.

Drying tomatoes: basic recipe

For this appetizer, the exact amount of spices and herbs is not provided. The manufacturer decides what to add more and what less. In general terms, the list of products looks like this:

• tomatoes
• black pepper or a mixture of peppers
• fresh spices: basil, oregano, thyme or a ready-made mixture of Provençal herbs
• garlic
• sunflower or olive oil
• vinegar, wine or balsamic.

Also, for longer storage of snacks, you need to prepare (wash and sterilize) glass jars.

Tomato drying process

Wash the vegetables, dry them on a towel, and remove the skin if desired. Cut into halves or quarters, remove the seeds and juice and cut off the white part from the stalk.

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Salt, pepper, sprinkle with spices if desired. Finely chopped garlic can be added at this stage, but this will also need to be placed in jars when packaging the snack.

Dry the tomatoes in the oven until the moisture on the surface completely disappears. Also an indicator of readiness is a decrease in the volume of pulp. At the same time, it is worth making sure that drying does not turn into drying, when the amount of pulp is sharply reduced and there is a risk of burning.

How to preserve sun-dried tomatoes

Before transferring the finished tomatoes to a jar, you need to peel and chop the garlic. The aroma of the product will vary depending on its quantity. You can also wash and coarsely chop the herbs.

There are two options for adding oil to sun-dried tomatoes. The first method does not involve long-term storage. If the appetizer quickly goes to the table, you can simply pour oil over the layers of tomatoes, sprinkling them with garlic and spices.

The second method guarantees a longer shelf life. However, in this case you will have to use vinegar, which will affect the taste of sun-dried tomatoes. Oil with acetic acid (you need to take very little, 1-2 tsp per 1 kg of fresh tomatoes) is brought to a boil and poured into a jar, helping to remove air bubbles with a fork.

In addition, filled jars can be sterilized in a water bath for 20-30 minutes. This will also increase shelf life.

How to dry tomatoes at home

Prepared sun-dried tomatoes should be stored in a cool place, in the refrigerator or cellar. Shelf life - from 2 to 10 weeks, depending on the preservation method.

Tricks for drying tomatoes

Tomatoes grown in open ground contain more flavor.

If the tomatoes are not very tasty, you can correct the situation by adding a small amount of sugar, preferably brown. You need to sprinkle it before putting the vegetables in the oven. Even a small pinch of sugar can make a big difference in the taste of watery tomatoes.

In addition to the aforementioned Provençal herbs, you can flavor tomatoes with mint, honey, lemongrass, rosemary, and bay leaf. To add spiciness, chili peppers, peeled and pre-withered or dried, are added.

In addition to tomatoes, you can also put cheese in the jar. Feta or cheese will do. The product flavored in this way will be an excellent ingredient in salads or as a separate snack.
You can quickly make pesto sauce from sun-dried tomatoes by simply grinding the contents of a jar in a blender or grinding in a mortar.

This Mediterranean appetizer is popular among fans of Italian cuisine. It is expensive to purchase this Italian product in a store, and it is not always clear what ingredients were used in its preparation and under what conditions the preparation was made. Sun-dried tomatoes can be prepared using different methods at home; we will tell you about each method in more detail.

Dried tomatoes are used in many recipes. Thanks to them, the finished dish acquires a unique taste and smell. This product can act not only as an ideal snack, but also as an additive to any ready-made dish. It should be noted that as a result of this processing, tomatoes do not lose nutritional value, vitamins and microelements; they are retained in the same quantities as in fresh tomatoes.

How to select and prepare a vegetable before starting the process

Before you start the drying process, you need to choose the right tomatoes. When purchasing, pay attention to southern varieties of tomatoes; it is important that they are not overripe or green; it is better to choose fruits with dense, fleshy pulp.

How to make your own sun-dried tomatoes at home

The fruits are cut in half, and the middle is removed with a regular spoon. The result is a kind of boat with dense elastic walls.

Dry the tomatoes using any convenient or desired method: oven, sun, microwave, etc.

A simple step-by-step recipe for the winter

In urban conditions, it is best to make such a preparation in the oven. The step-by-step process will look like this:

1. Tomatoes should be cut into several parts.
2. To prepare for drying, seeds and membranes should be separated from the walls.
3. After this, the tomato slices are placed on a baking sheet with the cut side up.
4. The pieces are sprinkled with salt and herbs and spices (basil, garlic, chopped parsley) on top. Salt, in addition to its taste, helps remove excess moisture from tomatoes, and thereby reduce drying time.
5. The baking tray with tomato particles should be placed in the oven at a temperature of 80. The procedure will take about 5 hours.
6. During drying, you should turn the pan several times to prevent the workpieces from burning.

Recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya

The recipe for delicious sun-dried tomatoes from chef Yulia Vysotskaya is especially popular among gourmets and fans of Mediterranean cuisine.

So, how to cook tomatoes according to Julia Vysotskaya’s recipe:

1. Cut each tomato in half and remove the seeds.
2. Place the resulting halves on a baking sheet tightly to each other, cut side up.
3. Prepare the dressing. To do this, mix the spices in a mortar: black peppercorns, dried basil, a pinch of coarse sea salt, fresh basil and garlic. Grind the mixture with a pestle into a homogeneous mass.
4. Brush each tomato with the resulting mixture.
5. The author recommends seasoning the dish with Provençal oil. Water the tomato halves generously; they should be 2/3 immersed in oil.
6. Place the tomatoes in the oven, heated to 190, and wait for at least 3 hours.

In the oven

For this recipe without oil, cut the tomatoes into two parts if the fruits are small, and into four parts if the tomatoes are large. Then place the pieces on a baking sheet in tight rows, cut side up.

Mix salt, pepper and sugar separately. Take 3 parts salt, pepper and 5 parts sugar.

The mixture is sprinkled onto tomato fruits, every particle. Next, sprinkle with dry basil. Place peeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet, about 4-6 per baking sheet. After this, the baking sheet is placed in an oven preheated to 120 for 4-5 hours.

In an electric dryer

If you have a device such as an electric dryer, you can also make sun-dried tomatoes:

1. To do this, prepare the tomato fruits, rinse and cut into slices of about 1 centimeter.
2. The circles must be placed on the grill and the device must be turned on.
3. While the process is going on, you should prepare the dressing. To do this, peel two garlic heads and chop them. The resulting mass must be transferred to a separate bowl, sprinkled with salt and mixed. The second dressing will contain Provençal herbs.
4. Dried fruits are taken out of the dryer.
5. Place the tomatoes and the dressing alternately in the prepared container. And crush it with a spoon. Then, when the container is filled, you should pour the contents with oil and cover the container with a lid.
6. The second jar is filled in a similar way, only instead of garlic, each layer is sprinkled with salt and Provençal herbs.
7. The filled container is filled with oil and covered.

Containers with blanks are stored in the refrigerator compartment. The full taste of the dish will appear in two weeks.

In the microwave

Cooking tomatoes in a device such as a microwave occurs as follows:

1. Wash and dry tomatoes are cut into two parts.
2. The halves are placed in a deep heat-resistant container with the cut side up.
3. Next, you need to mix the spices: garlic, seasonings to taste.
4. Seasonings should be sprinkled with a small amount of the mixture on all the slices and poured over them with oil.
5. Then the oven should be set to maximum power. Cooking time is 6 minutes. Then open the door and leave the fruit for 15 minutes.
6. Add a little salt, drain the juice (if any) and place in the oven for another 2-3 minutes.
7. At the end of the cycle, place the finished fruits in a container.
8. Sprinkle with chopped garlic and pour over the juice that was previously drained. The product must be stored in the refrigerator for at least 10 hours.

Italian recipe

Tomato slices prepared in the usual way must be placed on a baking sheet covered with special parchment. Seasonings: dry basil, oregano and sage, sprinkle with tomatoes. Season with a little salt and pepper, add sugar and Provençal oil to the fruit particles.

Next, place the tomatoes in the oven, heated to 100-120 degrees, and turn on convection. When the dried tomatoes are cooked, take them out and put them in a glass container with a lid, fill them with oil and put them in the refrigerator. After two days you can taste it.

In a convection oven

Sun-dried tomatoes must be cooked in a convection oven: so that air circulates during the process, otherwise the tomatoes will not be sun-dried, but baked.

With balsamic vinegar

To prepare sun-dried tomatoes with balsamic vinegar you need:

1. Tomato slices should be sprinkled with a mixture of salt, sugar, pepper, basil, and Provençal herbs.
2. The fruits should be dried for 6-8 hours.
3. Place the finished tomatoes in a glass bowl with freshly chopped basil. The layers are sprinkled with Provençal seasonings.
4. When the jar is completely filled, pour oil over the tomatoes and add a spoonful of balsamic vinegar.
5. The workpiece is stored in the pantry.

With garlic

The prepared fruits are cut into 2-4 parts, focusing on the size of the tomato. The middle is removed from the halves. The resulting slices are laid out on a baking sheet covered with parchment in oil. Next, the fruits should be salted, greased with oil and sprinkled with herbs.

The blanks are dried in an oven heated to 50 degrees, with the door ajar for about 8-9 hours.

With basil and garlic

First you should prepare a mixture of basil, chopped garlic and Provençal oil. When the tomato slices are dried in the oven, using convection mode, they should be placed in a glass dish in layers. Each layer should be poured with spiced oil. Filling completes the container.

Drying tomatoes in the sun

Prepared fruits should be cut into 4 parts. Remove seeds and veins. Next, the slices are placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Then you should sprinkle the tomatoes with a mixture of seasonings and salt. Afterwards you need to cover it with several layers of gauze. The baking sheet is exposed to the sun. Drying continues for several days.

In olive oil

Cut the prepared fruits into 2-4 parts. Place the resulting slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment, salt and season with herbs. Place pieces of garlic on top of the particles. Dry the tomatoes in the oven for 4-5 hours at 110 degrees. Place the tomatoes in clean containers, cover with garlic and pour over Provençal oil. Such vegetable preparations can be stored for 2-3 months.

In sunflower oil

Dry tomatoes using any method you like. Afterwards you will need to prepare the oil; to do this, place pieces of garlic in a frying pan, pour oil over them and heat over low heat. Tomatoes should be placed in a jar in layers, each layer should be lined with garlic. Next, fill the workpiece with the resulting mixture. This preservation can be stored for about 4-5 months.

Recipe from Alla Kovalchuk

Remove the peel from the tomatoes and cut into two or more pieces. Remove the core from the fruit and place the slices on a baking sheet. Salt, pepper and season with chopped parsley and herbs to taste. Next, you should dry the tomatoes at a temperature of 100 degrees for 1.5-2 hours. Prepared vegetables should be placed in a sterilized glass container and poured with hot oil.

Recipe from Vincenzo Barba

Peeled tomatoes dried using the same method are laid out in layers in a jar. In this case, they should be lined with garlic slices, sprinkled with seasonings and filled with calcined oil.

In the Isidri dryer

Tomato slices prepared in the usual way are placed on an Isidri dryer tray. Tomatoes are sprinkled with salt and a mixture of Provençal seasonings. The fruits should be dried for about 6 hours, the temperature is 70 degrees. The resulting fruits are placed in a bowl with heated oil, garlic and herbs (basil, dill and parsley).

Sun-dried cherry tomatoes

Cherry fruits are cut into two parts. For very juicy tomatoes, it is better to remove the middle, otherwise they will dry out for a very long time. The particles are placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment and coated with oil. Then they need to be salted and sprinkled with seasonings. After which the tomatoes should be dried in the oven at a temperature of 100 degrees. You need to dry it for about two hours.

How much and how are the blanks stored?

If the fruits have been dried in the sun, they are stored in a cotton bag or in a cellar for about 6-8 months. If the fruits are not very dried, then they are compacted tightly into a glass container and poured with hot oil. Cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator. You can store them like this for about a year. In addition, sun-dried tomatoes can be packaged in food-grade plastic and stored in the freezer.

Dried tomatoes are a product that is very popular among the Mediterranean people. As a rule, they are used for preparing hot fish, meat and vegetable dishes. In addition, dried tomatoes are often added to various salads, sauces, gravies, and used as a filling for baked goods. As for our country, sun-dried tomatoes have become popular among Russian residents quite recently. It should be noted that dried tomatoes have a rather unusual and piquant taste.

General Product Information

To make your own dried tomatoes, you don’t need any special culinary knowledge. But if you want to get really delicious dried vegetables, then you will need to reserve enough time.

It should be noted that many housewives are interested in the question not only of how such a product can be dried, but also of how to store dried tomatoes at home. You will find the answer to these and other questions about sun-dried tomatoes in this article.

Methods for drying tomatoes

Few people know how to prepare dried tomatoes at home, and to remedy this situation, we decided to present you with three proven methods for drying fresh tomatoes. These include:

1. Electric dryer.
2. Oven.
3. Sun.

Let's consider all the presented methods in more detail.

Drying tomatoes in an electric dryer

Dried tomatoes, the recipe for which involves the use of a special electric dryer, are prepared quite easily and simply. To wilt vegetables, wash them well, cut them into halves or quarters, remove the middle part with a spoon, leaving only thick and elastic walls with peel. As for the pulp, you should not throw it away, as it is ideal for making goulash or tomato paste.

After the described actions, the resulting “boats” should be flavored to taste with Italian herbs and salt. Next, they need to be placed on the grill of an electric dryer so that the cut of the vegetables faces upward. Having set the temperature to 70 o C, the tomatoes should be kept in the device for about 5-6 hours. During this time, excess moisture from fresh tomatoes will evaporate, they will become more flexible, aromatic, rich in color and taste.

Dried tomatoes: recipe in the oven

The process of drying vegetables in the oven is the most popular drying method, because not every housewife has the above-mentioned electrical appliance at her disposal. It should be noted that this method requires special care, because if you leave tomatoes in the oven unattended, they can dry out or burn very quickly.

So, to prepare sun-dried tomatoes in the oven, we need a couple of kilograms of not very large vegetables. They should be washed well in hot water and then cut in half. Next, you need to remove the middle part from the tomatoes so that you end up with “boats” with thick walls.

After processing the vegetables, take a large baking sheet and line it with baking paper. Next, you should place the prepared tomatoes on it, which it is advisable to first sprinkle with allspice and salt. It is recommended to place vegetables on a baking sheet with the cut side up.

After filling the sheet, it must be placed in the oven, which was preheated to 90 o C. Open the door slightly and dry the tomatoes in these conditions for about 6-7 hours. At the same time, they should be monitored regularly so that they do not dry out or burn.

Drying vegetables in the sun

How to use dried tomatoes? You will find the answer to this question below. Now I would like to tell you about the third and longest drying process.

The process of sun-driing tomatoes can take several days. It should be noted that this method is not suitable for everyone. First, you must live in a very hot region. Secondly, the place for drying tomatoes should be located in an ecologically clean area. The ideal option would be a house in the village. If you live in a large metropolis, then in the process of drying tomatoes on the balcony, vegetables can easily absorb all the city dust and other harmful substances that are inherent in any densely populated area.

Thus, if the place where you live is ideal for drying tomatoes in the sun, then you should wash them well, cut them and remove the middle part, as described just above. Next, the vegetables must be placed on a tray or sheet with the cuts facing up and covered with not very thick gauze. The filled dishes must be placed in the sun. The tomatoes need to be turned over periodically. If the weather permits, the drying process will take you no more than 4-5 days. If it suddenly starts to rain, you can complete the drying using an oven or electric dryer.

Method for storing tomatoes in oil

Dried tomatoes in oil, the recipe for which we will consider below, are the most popular way to store dried vegetables. Tomatoes prepared in this way do not spoil for a very long time. Moreover, they are ideal for the dining table, where they can be placed as an original, tasty and aromatic snack.

So, to make dried tomatoes in oil, you need to prepare:

• refined sunflower or olive oil - use at discretion;
• fresh garlic cloves - about two heads;
• dried tomatoes - approximately 2-3 kg.

Cooking process

To make dried tomatoes in oil, you need to dry the tomatoes in advance using any method described above. Remember that the vegetables should not dry out, make sure that they remain soft and pliable. Also, before direct preservation, you need to peel the garlic cloves and cut them into very thin slices. Place the garlic in a frying pan, add olive or sunflower oil and heat slightly over medium heat. It should be especially noted that vegetable oil only needs to be calcined, but under no circumstances boiled.

After the tomatoes and marinade are ready, you need to sterilize half-liter glass jars with screw caps using any method known to you. Place sun-dried tomatoes in containers, topping each layer with garlic slices. Next, the multilayer workpiece must be filled with warm oil. Additionally, adding salt and other seasonings to the vegetables is not recommended, since during drying the tomatoes were already flavored with all kinds of spices. After filling, the jars should be tightly closed and left until the oil cools completely for several hours. Next, the blanks need to be placed in the refrigerator or any other cool room. It is advisable to store tomatoes in oil in such conditions for about 4-5 months, no more.

Other storage methods

Dried tomatoes, which have very different uses, can be stored for a long time not only in oil. For example, some housewives prefer to put dried vegetables in thick linen bags, glass or plastic jars, and even bags. If you choose this storage method, remember that for greater safety it is advisable to store them in a dry and dark room. In this case, sun-dried tomatoes will remain suitable for consumption for six months.

By the way, lovers of dried tomatoes often use a regular freezer for storage. The products are placed in special bags for freezing and then sent into the cold. In such conditions, tomatoes can be stored for about 7-8 months. But, unfortunately, not everyone has extra space in the freezer where they could put a large amount of dried vegetables. In this regard, we recommend that you use the above storage methods.

How to use in cooking?

Dried tomatoes are a fairly versatile product from which you can make goulash, stewed vegetables, soups, gravies, sauces, pizza and even salads. It should be noted that dried tomatoes give the finished dish a special taste and aroma.

So, how can you make your own salad with dried tomatoes? For this we will need the following products:

Cooking method

To quickly and easily make this unusual salad, you must strictly follow all the requirements described below.

1. First, toast the shelled pine nuts in a frying pan. Once their aroma is strong, turn off the pan and pour the nuts into a cup.
2. Take a deep salad bowl and place any green salad leaves in it.
3. It is necessary to cut fresh cucumbers into thin and long strips.
4. Prepare a flavorful dressing. To do this, you need to add brine from canned olives to refined olive oil, and then squeeze the garlic into the same bowl. After salting and peppering the ingredients, they need to be seasoned with grated Parmesan, mix well and let sit for several hours.
5. Dried tomatoes should be cut into very thin strips.

Once you have prepared all the ingredients, you can safely begin to formulate the dish. To do this, you need to place straws of cucumbers and sun-dried tomatoes on green lettuce leaves. Next, lay out small pieces of soft cheese and sprinkle with roasted pine nuts. Finally, pour the formed salad with aromatic dressing.

Let's sum it up

As you can see, it is not at all difficult to dry tomatoes at home. Moreover, there is no need to have special culinary knowledge to preserve such a product in oil. It should be noted that by adding dried tomatoes to various dishes, you give them an unsurpassed aroma and taste.

Fleshy varieties of tomatoes are best suited for drying. One of the most successful and affordable varieties is the “Slivka” variety. You can also dry tomatoes, such as cherry tomatoes and any small variety of tomatoes. The tomatoes should be ripe and firm, but not overripe.

Wash the tomatoes, dry them and cut them in half or into 4 parts depending on their size.
Remove the seeds using a spoon or knife so that the tomatoes wilt faster.

Tip 1. It is not necessary to remove the seeds; there is another drying option when the tomatoes are simply cut in half or into 4 parts and dried along with the seeds. This way they will dry about 2 times longer and at a higher temperature than tomatoes without seeds, but the taste will be even more interesting.

Cut the garlic into thin petals.

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment. You can grease the parchment with vegetable oil to make the skin of the sun-dried tomatoes softer.
Season the tomatoes with coarse salt. You can leave them like this for half an hour, and then drain the resulting juice.
Season with freshly ground pepper.
You can also sprinkle with a literal pinch of sugar for a touch of sweetness if you wish.
Sprinkle with dried herbs: I have a mixture of Italian dried herbs, you can also take dried basil, thyme, rosemary, Provençal herbs - the choice depends only on your preferences.
And arrange the garlic petals.
You can also sprinkle the tomatoes with vegetable oil on top.

Place the baking sheet with the tomatoes in the oven and dry it at a temperature of 50-80 degrees.
Be sure to leave a small gap for steam to escape.
The lower the temperature, the longer the tomatoes will dry.

I dry as follows: first I always set the temperature a little higher, about 70-80 degrees and dry for an hour or 2, then I lower the temperature to 50 degrees and dry for about another 6 hours at a low temperature. The time and temperature will always depend on the size of your tomatoes and their moisture content.

But when I dry tomatoes with seeds, simply cut in half, I dry them almost all the time at a higher temperature, about 70-80 degrees, and only at the very end, I lower the temperature to 50 to make it easier to control the process. Such tomatoes will dry for about 15-18 hours, again, the time depends on the selected temperature and the juiciness of the tomatoes.

It is also very convenient to dry tomatoes in a vegetable dryer or so-called dehydrator.
I lay out the tomatoes on a drying tray, also season with coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, sprinkle with dried herbs and arrange garlic petals.
I leave them in the dryer overnight, in the morning, usually the tomatoes are already ready.

It often happens that tomatoes dry out unevenly - I simply remove some of the already wilted tomatoes, as they can dry out and become tough, and leave those that still have quite a lot of moisture to dry.

From 1 kilogram of fresh tomatoes you get about 80 grams of sun-dried tomatoes.
Readiness is determined as follows:
1. The tomatoes will significantly decrease in volume, we see this visually, they bend well in different directions - this means that they are not too dry.
2. But at the same time, the tomatoes remain slightly moist, but not wet to the touch.

There are several ways to store sun-dried tomatoes for a long time.
I proceed as follows: fill a clean sterilized jar with tomatoes, add a pinch of dried herbs, you can add a little salt to taste, and fill it to the top with vegetable oil.
I use olive oil, I keep several of these jars of tomatoes in the refrigerator, olive oil thickens in the cold, but quickly clears up at room temperature.
You can add sunflower oil. Please note that tomatoes should always be completely covered with oil: take tomatoes, for example, for a salad, use oil for dressing - and be sure to immediately add fresh oil to prevent mold from forming. And I put the remaining tomatoes in a bag and store them in the freezer. When one jar comes to the end, I fill it with tomatoes from the freezer, again adding oil to the top. With this method, tomatoes are stored for a long time. And this is a great idea for saving space in the refrigerator, and in the freezer a bag of tomatoes takes up very little space.

To ensure that tomatoes can be stored at room temperature, you can add about a teaspoon of wine vinegar to a half-liter jar or pour hot sunflower oil over the tomatoes. Heat the oil well, but do not bring it to deep-frying temperature, otherwise you will simply deep-fry the tomatoes.
You can also sterilize jars of tomatoes in the oven: put the tomatoes in the jars, pour in sunflower oil, put in a cold oven, heat to 120 degrees. Sterilize half-liter jars for about 15 minutes.
For long-term storage, add only dried garlic and dried herbs to jars.

Well, now a little bonus. If you like experiments, then you will like this idea. You can make original chips from tomatoes))
We also prepare tomatoes as for drying, only we dry them at a higher temperature and, preferably, with convection.
We set the temperature to approximately 120 degrees, periodically check for readiness, approximately every half hour. The chips will take about 3 hours to cook, again, the time is approximate, depending on the size of the tomatoes and the power of your oven. But if you dry tomatoes for a long time at a low temperature, they will not turn into chips, they will simply become very hard.